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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356252">The Hitch-Hiker</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilmoreGirls128295/pseuds/GilmoreGirls128295'>GilmoreGirls128295</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>lgbtq - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hitchhiking, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, LGBTQIA+, Roadtrip, bullshit angst, dumbassery, fluff and shit, lgbtq+, probably some smut idk?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:35:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilmoreGirls128295/pseuds/GilmoreGirls128295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After she just lost her dream fellowship and her boyfriend, she heads to a bar and meets a mysterious stranger. aka just a wlw love story, I will update every Saturday:)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Hitch-Hiker</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope you like reading :))</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her hair was disheveled and her throat dry as bone whilst she tried to talk, ¨ What are you saying John?¨ she croaked out. </p>
<p>¨ We can't stay together anymore Rena, we both know that, im sorry¨ his words were filled with empty apologies.  As he walked out of her life like she was simply a ghost, she felt herself shrinking. She had just lost her dream fellowship and now her boyfriend, as the tears began to well in her eyes she felt compelled as she ran towards her car.  Once she shut the door the tears were beating down after her as if a hurricane were in her eyes. It wasn't that she would miss him, it was that he left her, he was exactly like all the others, her parents, her friends, everyone. She wouldn't admit it to herself but she didn't love him, she just adored feeling wanted, feeling needed, loved. As she sat there crying, the clouds rolled in and the drizzle began. </p>
<p>Without much thought she started her car, as the engine gave a low rumble she headed towards the nearest bar. Upon her arrival the rain had grown in confidence and was pouring down as if from a waterfall.  She stepped out of the car with nothing to shield her from the brewing storm , but she didn't mind, she welcomed the rain like it was a friend. While stepping into the warm air of the bar she longed to be back out in the cold, wet downpour that enveloped her like a blanket of comfort. </p>
<p>Her tears had stopped a while ago, she didn't want to walk into the room with water dripping from her eyes, it would have made her feel weak and childish. She worked through the maze of drunk college students, stepping on the peanut shells as she walked up to the bar sitting on one of the torn up stools. It had felt like forever since she'd been here, John never let her go because even the smell of alcohol on her was ¨too appealing¨ to him and he didn't want to chance his sobriety again. She always respected that, but now he's gone.<br/>
¨ Hey Elijah¨ she said as she caught the bartenders eye, he looked at her with a warm smile.</p>
<p> ¨ Hey Rena, what has it been like eight months now?¨ he said while giving her a tight squeeze after walking around from behind the bar. Rena’s mind drifted back to her last night at this bar, remembering the fight earlier that day, Rena snapped back to reality. </p>
<p>¨Actually a little over nine¨ she responded while hugging him back. </p>
<p>¨ I'm guessing you didn't come over here just to see me so what do you want?¨ he asked while heading back behind the bar. </p>
<p>¨ God I don't know, maybe your Glenfiddich malt?¨ she replied with a small smile, as he quickly poured the whiskey and placed it in front of her .</p>
<p> ¨What's your problem¨ she heard from a voice behind her approaching the stool next to hers.<br/>
¨ Excuse me?¨ Rena narked, she couldn't believe the nerve of this girl, she questioned angrily what she could have possibly done to her?</p>
<p>¨Woah there princess, don't get so peeved¨ the mysterious brown haired girl held up her hands in defence. ¨I'm just saying you don't look like a scotch whiskey kind of girl, so why are you here?¨ she asked, sipping what Rena assumed was a martini.</p>
<p>¨ You're a stranger, I don't know you¨ Rena responded, stirring her drink with a scowl on her face.</p>
<p> ¨ Im Mandy¨ she responded, eyeing the scowl that crept on the other face. </p>
<p> ¨Okay, and?¨ Rena said with an aggravated tone, not understanding the stranger's point. </p>
<p>¨And….now I'm not a stranger¨ Mandy replied with a smirk. </p>
<p>¨What do you think you're funny?¨ she said while beginning to take a sip of her neglected drink. </p>
<p>¨No, I think I'm adorable¨ Mandy said smiling while watching Rena make a face as the strong whiskey stung her throat. </p>
<p>¨Jesus that burns¨ Rena blurted out.</p>
<p> ¨I told you that you weren't a whiskey girl” Mandy said laughing.</p>
<p>¨Now that you know who I am, mind telling me what your name is?¨ Rena finally really looked at her, and she couldn't help but think that she was beautiful, ¨So what, are you just going to stare at me all night or are you going to tell me your name?¨. </p>
<p>“It's Rena,” she blurted out,  “ Well I mean Rowena technically but, yeah ” she blabbered on. </p>
<p>“Rowena huh? What is that like Irish?” Mandy questioned.</p>
<p> “ I'm not sure maybe Scotish or something?”. Rena watched Mandy as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and began typing.</p>
<p>“Lets see, well here it says its Welsh” the young girl said. </p>
<p>“Isn't that like in Wales?” Rena asked while ordering a water.</p>
<p> “I think so, but here it says it means ‘Slim and Beautiful’. Seems fitting” Mandy smiled through those last words.  Rena sat in silence, unsure how to accept the praise she sipped her water awkwardly. They sat there for what felt like hours, in reality this was probably only a couple of long minutes. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This silence is deafening, are you going to talk any time soon princess?” Mandy piped up. </p>
<p>“First of all, I thought we went over my name, and second of all, what do you expect me to talk about?” Rena was on the verge of yelling, just loud enough to turn a couple of heads from the seniors table. </p>
<p>“ Well okay then Re-Na” she said pronouncing each syllable of her name “ why don't you start with why you're here instead of getting pissed and yelling at me” . </p>
<p>“ Well lets see '' she said aggravated, “Graduated top of my class at Brown, yet still didn't get the scholarship I've been working to get since I was 17. Then out of nowhere my boyfriend of almost 4 years just broke up with me again by saying ‘We can’t stay together anymore’, like that's somehow supposed to give me closure.”</p>
<p>“Wow, okay, maybe you do need that whiskey.” Mandy said after opening her eyes wide with surprise. Rena continued to give her the death stare while drinking her water.</p>
<p>Mandy didn't speak again until she looked at the time on her phone and started downing her drink, grabbing her coat, and leaving a 20 infront of her. “Wait , what are you doing?” Rena spoke out while turning the chair around to look at her. </p>
<p>“What does it look like? I'm leaving the bar.” she said while putting on her jacket. </p>
<p>“ Seriously, you’re going to drive after drinking?” </p>
<p>“ You know there's a little thing called hitch-hiking?” the younger girl replied snarkily while watching Rena put out three five dollar bills. </p>
<p>“Yeah, and this is Chicago. You’re going to get kidnapped asking for rides at this time at night, let me drive you.” Rena began while getting up out of her seat and waving at the bartender. </p>
<p>“Worried about me?” </p>
<p>“Not really, I just would rather not get questioned by cops when your picture pops up onto the news and they learn that I’m the last person you talked to. So, like I said, I'm driving” Rena said as a blank statement rather than a question. </p>
<p>Rena nudged Mandy out of the bar, while looking in her pockets for her car keys. They were already out in the parking lot when Rena found them, guiding Mandy towards her car. The rain had stopped a while after Rena entered the bar. </p>
<p>“How do I know that you’re not going to be one of those kidnappers you mentioned?” Mandy spoke while placing her hand on the passenger side door handle. </p>
<p>“You don't,” Rena said flatly while unlocking the car and getting in, Mandy opened her door and climbed in as Rena began to start the car. “ So where are you going?” she said, placing her hand on the wheel. </p>
<p>“California” Mandy said while turning on the heater.</p>
<p>“Excuse me? What do you mean California, that's across the country” Rena barked out while turning off the heater. </p>
<p>“Exactly, come on what do you have to lose? Nothings holding you back, plus I really need someone to pretend to be my girlfriend for Christmas with my parents or they are going to judge me the whole time.” Mandy said with pleading eyes, watching Rena think about it she piped up again “ You don't even have to drive me all the way there or go through with my crazy plan, but can you at least drive me to the next state over?” </p>
<p>Rena checked her phone again half expecting to see a message or get a call from John saying he regretted it and they should get back together, “ fine, I’ll drive you to Missouri and if you can convince me by then, then I will go through with your whacked out plan” she answered while pulling the gear shift down to ‘D’.</p>
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